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Man Steals Car Then Realizes 12-Year-Old Is in Backseat. Cops Stunned by Next Move

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Even when it comes to seemingly safe areas, one can’t be too careful. It only takes a second, a blink, for a sad turn of events to occur.

I think every mom, at one time or another, has run in somewhere and left her kids in the car.

I’m not talking about leaving a baby in a car seat for two hours while shopping. I’m referring to a quick run into the post office or gas station, teens and tweens waiting in the air conditioned vehicle for a few minutes.

But again, one can’t be too careful, and one mom recently learned that it doesn’t matter how old your kids are — leaving a vehicle unattended is always a risk.

A frightening incident at a Salt Lake City hotel could have ended very badly. While running into a Microtel lobby during the early hours of the morning, a woman left her car running and her 12-year-old son in the back seat.

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But those few short moments turned out to be all a carjacker needed to hop inside the vehicle and take off. Francisco Esmerado, 23, saw the window of opportunity and grabbed it.



Police believe Esmerado had no clue there was a minor in the back of the stolen car. Why else would he have done something no one ever expected?

Officers were already in the area due to a call they had received about a “suspicious person.” It didn’t take long for Esmerado to not only realize he had taken more than a car, but to do the right thing.

“As Esmerado was entering the I-80 Freeway eastbound,” Police reported, “He observed an officer and promptly flagged him down to report he had just stolen the vehicle.”

While I can’t call this man a good Samaritan, I will give him props for realizing his mistake and correcting it before the child was hurt.

Thanks to the Salt Lake City police department, and Esmerado’s sudden conscience, the woman was reunited with her son. Esmerado faces charges of theft and kidnapping, and it has not been reported if his decision to do the right thing will make a difference for his case.

I’m sure that mother will never leave her child in the car again. I wouldn’t be surprised if she made him go in with her everywhere until his 18th birthday.

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Even though the mother and son were reunited and unharmed, this incident can still serve as a reminder for all of us. If you don’t want to be sorry later, play it safe now.

Even if safe seems extreme or necessary. You never know what you could be preventing by making the choice to act with caution.

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Sarah Carri is an avid reader and social media guru with a passion for truth and life. Her writing has previously been published in print and online by Focus on the Family and other well known media outlets. Her experience in ministry and Disney entertainment gives her a unique perspective on such topics.
Sarah Carri is an avid reader and social media guru with a passion for truth and life. Her writing has previously been published in print and online by Focus on the Family and other well known media outlets. Her experience in ministry and Disney entertainment gives her a unique perspective on such topics.

Sarah's experience as a successful working stay-at-home mom and business owner has given her the chance to write and research often. She stays up to date on the latest in entertainment and offers her views on celebrity stories based on her wide knowledge of the industry. Her success as a former preschool teacher and licensed daycare provider lend to her know-how on topics relating to parenting and childhood education.

Her thoughts on faith and family issues stem from home life and ministry work. Sarah takes time to attend workshops and classes annually that help her to improve and hone her writing craft. She is a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature program and her writing has been acclaimed by ACFW and ECPA.
Education
Institute of Children's Literature, Art Institute of Phoenix (Advertising), University of California Irvine (Theater), Snow College (Early Childhood Education)
Location
Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Entertainment, Faith




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